Lions and Dragons and Wolves, Oh My!
by wibblywobblywesteros
Summary: Future fiction. Aegon is co ruler with his Aunt and is becoming known as the new mad king. He forces Arya into an unwanted marriage and makes Jaime her sworn shield. Mature rating just in case... I know the premise is a bit unbelievable but I'm having a lot of fun writing this story so if you hate it please just ignore me :D
1. Chapter 1

The war was over. The Targaryn woman and her dragons had won. Jaime Lannister had been unable to reach the Capital in time to save Cersei or Tommen but he did reach it in time to be captured by the new kingsguard and escorted to a cell. He didn't know how many days and nights he had been in that cell. Time had melted together, losing all meaning. Then one day, or maybe it was night, he had no way of knowing, someone was standing outside his cell with a torch, A visitor. His eyes had not yet adjusted to the light before the visitor spoke.

"Jaime?" The familiar voice said.

"Tyrion!" He dragged himself to his feet and went to the bars. "I had thought you might be dead…"

"I had thought the same of you. No one told me you were here in a cell until a few hours ago. Of course I was furious with the Queen. She shouldn't be keeping secrets from her hand."

"You're hand of the queen?" He asked, shocked. "How can you be on her side?"

"How can I not? It never pays to pick the losing side...Jaime, a lot of things have changed since you were brought down here. Aegon Targaryn has been found and is living in the Capitol. The queen is willing to make him her heir and share the rule with him. He will rule the north and she the south. But he shows signs… there are hints of madness in him and there has been little I can say to convince the queen not to trust him."

Jaime didn't like the sound of that but what could he do? He was only a prisoner now? Why was Tyrion even telling him this? "Why are you here Tyrion?"

"I formally requested the queen to free you or have you banished to Essos if she preferred. She wouldn't have any of it and said I should be glad that you escaped execution. So I did the only other thing available to me, I went to Aegon." Tyrion told him warily.

"And?" Jaime knew he wouldn't like the answer.

"Aegon was married to Arya Stark, the _real _Arya Stark a fortnight ago. She was found in Braavos some months ago and not given any choice in the match. Aegon takes great delight in tormenting her whenever he can. He will allow you out of the dungeon and would have you go north with him and serve as shield to his wife. The idea of forcing a Lannister to guard a Stark amuses him to no end." Tyrion told him.

"Seven hells..," Jaime whispered. "If that's the only way out, I'll do it."

Tyrion nodded. "I expected you would. It will not be an easy task...I must go. Someone will be down to release you in a few hours after the papers are signed. I will see you again before you journey north."

With that, Tyrion was gone. A guard with the keys came a few hours later to release him as promised. Jaime was escorted to the red keep and down several long corridors before reaching the rooms that once belonged to Elia Martell and her children. Several kingsguards stood outside one of the doors. The guard escorting him knocked on the door, a white haired young man answered. He had to be Aegon.

"Ser Jaime Lannister." Aegon said with a broad grin. "I'm so glad to hear that you have accepted my offer." If the situation hadn't been so strange, Aegon's words might have been mistaken as genuine.

"It wasn't as if I had many offers to chose from." Jaime said.

"True enough." He laughed. "Now, go to the room two doors down, bathe and change and eat. Then you shall return here and begin your duties with my bride."

Jaime did as commanded. On the one hand he was thankful for a hot bath, clean clothes, and food. On the other hand, he was wary of what Aegon might have planned for him. He returned to the young king dressed in Lannister colors and armor as had been provided.

"Come, lady Stark is in here." Aegon led Jaime to the room adjoining his own. The room was dark but he could see a female figure sitting in a chair at the corner. "I have to keep candles out of her reach. She tried to throw them at me twice."

A servant brought in a torch and put it in a holder on the wall, far from the young woman. With the room illuminated Jaime could see several things. First of all, this was indeed the real Arya Stark. She looked much like Ned had and much the same as he remembered her. Secondly her face was bruised and she was tied to the chair. She wore a purple gown that was torn where it should have laced up the front, evidence of rape perhaps. Thirdly, her eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and defiance.

"I'd rather not keep her tied up but she won't stop trying to run away. _Don't _untie her. Just watch her until I come back. I have matters to attend to for several hours." Aegon said.

"Yes your grace." Jaime said, not taking his eyes off of the Stark girl.

"I thought you were in prison." Arya spoke after Aegon was gone.

"I thought you were dead."

She shrugged. "Not yet."

They said nothing else after that. There was nothing to say. They were from enemy houses and were now forced to serve a king that neither of them trusted. It was not as if they could reminisce about the battles their families had fought against one another. So the remained in silence. Jaime stood near the doorway and Arya sat silently in her chair. The servants brought dinner just before Aegon returned. The king ate half his meal while Arya pretended not to care but it was clear to Jaime that she was hungry.

"Untie her now." Aegon told him halfway through eating. "Untie her and follow her to the privy then bring her back to me."

Jaime struggled with the knots having only one hand to work with. Once she was freed he took her arm and led her out of the room.

"Don't touch me!" She pulled her arm free as soon as the door was closed.

"Fine. I won't touch you and you won't try to run away. It will only get the both of us in trouble if you do. Okay?" He said.

"Fine." She went into the privy and closed the door behind her. A few minutes later she came back out again and followed him back to Aegon's rooms.

Arya sat down at the table across from Aegon. A plate had been set for her there. She ate slowly, trying not to let him see how hungry she was.

"I was thinking Lady Stark, that perhaps we could dispense with the ropes after this." Aegon was saying. "I expect you won't try to run away again, not after last night."

Jaime noted the moment of defiance in her eyes, Then it passed and she managed to answer the king almost pleasantly. "No your grace. I won't try to run."

"Very good. I am glad to hear it. So you won't mind if I come to your bed again tonight?" Aegon said.

Arya visibly paled, her grip on her meat knife tightened but she said not a word.

"I'll not tie you up again. But if you resist, I'll break both your legs. Ser Jaime will help me do it. Won't you ser?" Aegon turned to Jaime.

Jaime felt sick. _This _was what Tyrion had been trying to warn him about and he had walked right into it. "I thought I was meant to guard your wife not torment her." Jaime shrugged and tried to keep his tone even, as if he didn't care about what happened to the young woman anyway.

Luckily for him, Aegon laughed. "Quite true. If you haven't the stomach for breaking legs, Ser Merton will be glad to accomodate. I doubt you have the strength for it anyway with only your left hand."

"As you say, your grace." Jaime said, masking his irritation as he had learned to do so often under Robert Baratheon.

When the meal was finished, the servants cleared away the food and dishes. Aegon got up and said with a dramatic flair, "Come my love and walk with me in the gardens."

Arya stood and went with him, allowing him to take her arm without protest. Jaime followed the couple along with several of Aegon's own guards. They were at enough of a distance that they could not hear what Aegon and Arya were saying but whatever it was, she was disgusted by it. Then Aegon stopped to kiss her and her body went stiff, arms at her sides, but she didn't pull away. The king laughed at the look of horror on her face and they continued walking. Eventually they made their way back to the keep and to the king's rooms.

"I think it's time to retire for the night." Aegon was saying, apparently to Jaime, "I haven't the energy to bed the lady tonight, she is quite exhausting. So she will retire to her chambers alone and you Ser, will sleep on a cot just inside the doorway. See to it that she doesn't leave her room. It shouldn't be too difficult as she'll need to climb over you to do it."

Jaime followed Arya into her windowless room as bidden and bolted the door shut behind them. Before he could fully turn around, Arya had pinned him up against the closed door with a dagger at his throat. "Let me make something clear, Lannister." She said. "Aegon would think it very funny if I murdered you in your sleep. I won't give him the satisfaction of being his executioner. But if you touch me, or even come into my side of the room, I'll chop your other hand off."

"Arya, put the knife down. I have no intention of harming you." Jaime said calmly. Something in her eyes softened and he knew she had believed him. She lowered the knife and took a step backward.

"Will you at least turn around so I can change for bed?" She said, defiantly.

Without a word Jaime turned around and waited. Arya shouldn't have been trapped in a room with her guard. Aegon should have given his queen her own private chambers with maids to help her change and Jaime was sure that Aegon knew _that. _

"Done." She said.

He turned back around to find Arya was already in her bed under the covers. There was a cot near the door. He took the corner of it and pulled the small bed across the doorway. Then he set to work on his armor. It had been difficult enough to put it on with one hand, taking it off was even harder. Arya watched from the bed.

"Do you want some help with that?" She finally said.

"Not really." Jaime answered.

"Do you _need _some help with that?" She asked this time.

Jaime didn't answer her. Yes, he needed help but he wasn't going to ask for it. The next thing he knew, Arya was at his side, helping him to remove the armor. "What are you doing?" He said.

"Helping you take this off. I can't sleep if you're going to mess with it all night." She said, irritated.

"I doubt you were going to sleep much anyway. Maybe you just wanted an excuse to be closer to your sworn shield."

"Don't flatter yourself. Just hold still so I can get these ties."

Up this close, and with her wearing a thin sleeping shift, Jaime could see that she had more bruises than just the ones on her face. She was a pretty young woman. Not the same sort of beauty her mother and sister had been but pretty nonetheless. The last piece of armor was off and she made no move to go back to the bed. She just stood there, staring up at him with those brown eyes.

"If he asks you again to break my legs, will you do it?" She finally said.

"No." Jaime said, knowing he couldn't willingly do something like that.

"If he knows you don't want to, he'll find a way to make you do it."

"I know." Jaime said. "We'll just have to make sure he doesn't find out."

She nodded agreeably.

"Things would go easier for you if you don't resist him." He said sadly.

"I know." She shrugged. "I'm trying not to. I was never any good at being a lady and Aegon…"

She didn't have to finish the words. He understood. Aegon was mad and delighted in tormenting her. If she fought him he enjoyed it and if she submitted he became angry. It was an impossible position to be in.

When morning came, Arya helped Jaime to put his armor back on. He allowed it without a word and turned away so she could dress without being asked to do so. They joined Aegon for breakfast, Arya at the table and Jaime taking his place along the wall with the other guards. They would eat after the royalty finished. Before the meal was over Aegon made an announcement.

"We leave for Winterfell at the end of the week."

Arya's eyes widened at the news.

"Aren't you happy to be going home, my love?" Aegon said.

"Of course your grace." She said, picking at her food.

"I'd have thought you'd be happier than that." He said, irritation in his tone.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you your grace." Arya said dully.

"I'm not disappointed at all. I find I'm just tired. I grow tired of your games lady Stark. Perhaps you need a lesson in courtesy." Aegon suggested.

"I'm not afraid of your _lessons._" She said defiantly.

"I know you aren't. Nothing frightens the brave indomitable Arya of House Stark. Though I'm sure that given enough lessons we can find _something_ that will make you learn." The King said.

Arya said nothing to that.

"Ser Jaime." Aegon said after a few minutes of silence had passed. "I don't expect my bride was happy to have you guarding her last night. Did she attempt to harm you?"

"No your grace." Jaime said, it was an easy lie.

"Did she try to escape?"

"No, she did not, your grace."

"Good, Very good. Perhaps she is learning after all. At any rate, I have matters of court to attend to today. I expect to be here when I come back for dinner, and don't kill each other, at least not today." The king was leaving the table and Arya called out after him.

"Your grace?"

He turned to face her. "What is it my love?"

"Might I be allowed to visit the practice yard today?" She asked as charmingly as she could.

"You'll be wanting your sword back?" Aegon asked warily.

"Only so I can spar with Ser Jaime." She said sweetly.

At that, Aegon broke into a fit a laughter. "I should like to see that. It's too bad I'll be at court. Yes, have your sword back and spar with Ser Jaime. Only don't kill him just yet. We still need him alive to guard you from the northmen when we reach Winterfell."

"I need to change." Arya said hurriedly, the moment Aegon and his guards were out the door. "I can't spar in a dress."

Jaime watched her as she practically ran from the solar into her adjoining bedchamber. He didn't follow. She came back minutes later wearing a gray cotton dress. It was split at the seams on both sides and she wore black breeches underneath. The dress laced up the front with a neckline too low to be practical. He realized that perhaps she intended it that way, as a distraction for her opponent during a fight. She wore tall brown boots and a belt as well, probably to hang her sword from.

"My sword is in Aegon's chambers." She told him, crossing into the other bed chamber adjoining the other end of the solar. She came out of the chamber, carrying a braavosi blade and wearing a smile on her face.

"Do you intend to murder me with that?" He asked.

"Murder? No. I only intend to hurt you a little." She said.

Jaime went with her to the practice yard. There were a few knights already engaged in practice already and several onlookers gather on the seats facing the yard. He sighed. He disliked practicing with an audience since he had lost his sword hand.

It turned out that Arya was good with a blade. She was quick on her feet and able to avoid blows as easily as give them. Had he kept his right hand, they would have been evenly matched. But as it was, he didn't have a sword hand and he had been locked away in a dungeon for months without exercise or practice. She was beating him, badly. The crowd of spectators grew as the minutes ticked by and Jaime's frustration grew more and more. He had told her he wouldn't harm her, that he would refuse the king's orders to hurt her and here she was humiliating him in front of a crowd. He shouldn't have expected any better from a Stark.

He held his own for nearly two hours before he ended up on the ground, her sword at his throat. He put his hand up in surrender. "You've beat the cripple. Are you satisfied, lady Stark?" Some of the crowd members laughed and Arya's eyes widened, seemingly with the realization of what she had done.

"Get up!" She said angrily and loud enough for the spectators to hear. "It's ridiculous of you to let me win just because I'm a woman! Fight me for real this time."

He stood and took up his sword, their eyes meeting in a silent understanding. She would let him win and regain a little honor and he would continue to be her ally against Aegon. Her movements were only slowed just slightly for this match but it was enough for him to have the advantage without the crowd realizing the change. He beat her soundly and she pretended to be angry about it all the way back to Aegon's rooms. She tossed her blade on to the table and spun to face him, arms crossed.

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't want to fight?" Arya demanded.

He shrugged. "It's not my place to question the queen."

"A few minutes ago I was lady Stark. Now I'm the queen?"

"You're both I suppose. And you seemed so happy to have your sword back I didn't want to ruin it."

She just stared at him incredulously. "I was happy. I don't know how to live without a sword…" Her look changed to pity. "I am sorry for not considering…" She trailed off, not knowing the right words to say.

He shook his head. She didn't need to say anything. "You remedied the situation. It is done. We needn't speak of it again."

So they didn't speak of it again. They spent the better part of the day playing cyvasse. A game for which they _were _evenly matched. Some rounds Jaime won and others Arya won. Aegon returned that evening in a foul mood. Apparently he and his Aunt had disagreed about the guilt and sentencing of some Lord of the Riverlands who was accused of planning a rebellion. Aegon wanted him punished, beheaded. Danaerys wanted more evidence of his crimes before doing anything further. Aegon ate dinner in sullen silence. Arya kept her eyes down and tried not to disturb him while they ate.

"Come wife. We have heirs to make." Aegon said as he got up from the table. Arya followed him stiffly, her face was pale, jaw set with defiance, but her eyes held fear, Jaime noted.

Jaime stayed at his post along the wall, unsure if he was dismissed with the rest of the guards who were changing shifts or if he was expected to stay.

"Where are you Lannister?" He heard Aegon call out from the bedchamber. Evidently he was expected to stay.

"I'm here your grace."

"What are you doing out there? Get in here and guard your queen as you did last night!"

He couldn't quite believe Aegon wanted him in the room while he was bedding his wife but Jaime went to the doorway all the same. Arya stood next to the bed, her dress pooled around her feet on the floor and Aegon was pulling her small clothes off, leaving her totally naked. Jaime averted his eyes the wall on their left.

"Well, move your bed to the doorway as you were told!" Aegon said. "Gods Lannister, if you keep needing instructions to do your duties you'll soon outlive your usefulness."

Jaime closed the door and pulled his cot into place. He lay down flat on his back, not bothering to remove his armor. He stayed there unmoving, staring at the ceiling, trying not to hear the sounds from the bed and still hearing them all the same. He knew cries of pain when he heard them and he knew that Aegon was somehow aroused by her pain. At one point she grew silent and the king's movements stopped.

"Fuck you bitch! You've ruined it." The king said, followed by a slapping noise. Arya only whimpered in response. He hit her again, though this time it wasn't opened handed by the sound of it. Arya cried out this time and the king gave a grunt of pleasure and resumed fucking her.

The minutes went on for what seemed an eternity and finally it ended with the kings loud moaning. Then Aegon was standing next to Jaime's cot, unclothed and demanding. "Move Lannister. I'm done with her and would rather sleep in my own bed."

He got up, slid his cot out of the way and let the king pass by. Then Jaime pulled his bed back into place, and sat down on it, beginning the process of removing his armor. Arya was curled up in the bed with the blankets covering her from head to toe. She peeked out, her eyes brimmed with tears. She picked up her shift from the floor, pulled it on while still under the covers, then she came to him and began helping with his armor.

"Why did you kill Aerys?" She asked as she worked, a few stray tears were falling onto his skin.

"He meant to burn all the capital and everyone in it, and he asked me to bring him my father's head." Jaime told her.

"Is Aegon as mad as Aerys?"

"He seems to be." Jaime said, sadly.

"You're his prisoner as much as I am." She said. It wasn't a question.

"I know."

The last piece of armor clattered to the floor and she placed a trembling hand on his shoulder. They could hear Aegon's snores from the next room. "We should kill him." She whispered.

"Escape would be more prudent." Jaime suggested.

"He'd only find someone new torment. And he'd never stop looking for us…"

"Arya...we can't kill him. It could start another war. Think of how many people would die."

"Then kill me instead." She said. "I'm a Stark, it should be easy for you."

"No. I'm sworn to protect you now. I won't kill you. Besides, I don't think you really want to die." He said.

At that, all her walls broke down and before she knew what was happening she was weeping and sobbing and Jaime was pulling her into his arms and onto his lap. He held her there until she had cried herself to sleep. Then he carried her back to bed and fell into a fitful sleep himself on his cot.


	2. Chapter 2

King Aegon decided that his party would travel north by ship. It took three ships to carry everyone and all their things. To Arya's relief, one of the Captains had a very pretty daughter and Aegon decided he would take his cabin on her ship and his bride could travel in one of the other vessels. The morning they set sail, Jaime and Arya stayed on deck until the the ships were far enough apart from each other that Aegon could no longer see them clearly.

Arya turned to Jaime with half a smile on her face. "I still have my dagger." She said. Aegon had taken her sword on the ship with him but he was unaware of the dagger Arya had been able to keep hidden all this time. "How far do you think it is from here to the mast?"

"Maybe thirty feet." Jaime answered.

She lifted her dress and took the dagger from her calf. "Know anything about throwing knives?"

"A little." He said. He'd had a least some training with most conventional weapons. "Though it's hardly worth throwing a knife most of the time. It usually makes more sense to get close enough for stabbing."

She passed him the blade. "There's little else to do on this boat. Try and hit the mast. Then I'll try."

He gave her a look. "With my left hand?"

"I'll use my off hand too." She offered.

They spent the greater part of the day practicing with the knife. No one of the crew tried to stop them and the three members of kingsguard who travelled with them were occupying themselves with a tournament of cyvasse. The ship was filled with furnishings and supplies for Winterfell rather than an abundance of people and it gave Arya more freedom than she had known in months. They knew that when the month was up, Aegon would expect to hear from the kingsguard all about how miserable his bride had been and their safety depended on making everyone, especially the king, believe that they hated each other. Truthfully, it was an easy act. She complained loudly whenever she was in the presence of the other guards and she openly argued with Jaime for all to hear. They both enjoyed the banter and the wit required to play their roles. By night though, locked in their cabin with Jaime sleeping by the door as he had been ordered to do, the act came to an end and there was only silence.

At length they came to the end of their journey by ship and the contents of the ships were loaded onto wagons and the people were mounted on horseback. Aegon rode alongside Arya and Jaime followed with several other guards. The first night that they made camp was filled with dread for Arya. Aegon hadn't taken her since that night in the capitol when Jaime had hugged her. The king would want her again this night and the thought of it made her want to wretch. The tents were set up, the meal eaten and half of the guards dismissed for the night.

"I have missed you my love and this journey had been wearying. Lannister, come guard your queen. I shall not be staying with her for long and she musn't be left alone." Aegon said.

Aegon, truly didn't stay for long. He rutted inside her, spilling his seed, and left again without so much as a word to either of them. Jaime saw nothing, but heard it all as before. He struggled to remove his armor afterwards but Arya stayed hidden under the blankets and made no move to help him with it as she had done all the other nights thus far.

"Arya?" He went to the bedside and flipped back the covers enough to see her eyes. "What can I do to help?"

She grabbed the covers and pulled the back over her head. "Go away."

"I can't go away. You know that."

"Just. Go. Away." She said again.

He did. He went back to his cot and slept in his armor for the first time in years.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day Jaime paid for sleeping in his armor. He was sore to the point of weariness upon waking up. Just the movement of trying to get up made him groan with pain. Arya was already dressed and sat on the edge of the bed, staring absently at the tent wall. She either didn't hear him or didn't care.

"Breakfast is ready. I can smell it." Jaime told her. "Are you ready?"

She didn't answer him.

"Arya, we shouldn't keep the King waiting."

Still no response.

"Arya, you know he'll punish you for it if you keep him waiting." Jaime reminded her.

Her gaze snapped over to him. "Why do you suddenly care what he does to me?" She said with anger.

So _that _was what was bothering her. "I always _cared_. But there's nothing I can do about it…"

She stood, crossing the tent to face him. "Just like there was _nothing_ you could do about Aerys?"

"If you had any idea how hard it is to lie over there on that cot and listen to the things he does to you without driving a sword through him…" He began in anger. "If you want to escape, I'll help you. If you try to kill him yourself and he gets the upper hand, I'll help you. But I can't murder him. I'm done murdering people."

Arya glared at him unblinkingly for a moment before answering. "You're a fucking coward. You're afraid of what people will say if you kill another king."

"I'm afraid of no such thing. Only that we'll be late for breakfast." He grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the tent.

Aegon was waiting and irritated by their lateness. "Did you sleep poorly, my love?" He asked Arya as she joined him.

"Only a little." She told him, hoping it would pass as an excuse for her lateness.

"Well then, we shall have to keep you occupied today so you will be tired enough to sleep better tonight." Aegon said smilingly.

"As you say, your grace." Arya said.

That day the queen was made to walk rather than ride. Five guards followed them on horseback. It truly didn't bother her to walk but her sworn shield was miserable. Jaime was already tired and sore without being made to walk for miles and miles in armor. He didn't complain, but Arya knew it was bothering him. They didn't speak to each other the entire way. By the time they reached the camp that night, it was dark and everyone including the king was asleep. The group grabbed some bread and cheese from the mess tent and retired to bed. Arya collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep within moments and Jaime struggled with his armor for a long while before managing to get it off and dropping off to sleep.

It was hours after Jaime had gone to sleep that he woke up to the sound of Arya's weeping. She had never once cried in his presence since that night in the capitol and he doubted that being forced to walk had anything to do with it now.

"Arya?" He called out quietly.

She sniffled. "I forgot to help you with your armor."

Surely _that _wasn't what had her in tears? "I got it off on my own."

"Last night you didn't."

"Last night were just too upset to come out of bed. And that's fine. You had every right to be upset." He told her.

"That wasn't the reason I didn't help you." She said.

"Then what was?" He asked, confused.

"Because I was afraid that if I did help you, I'd becoming a sobbing wretched mess and I'd fall asleep in your arms again." She finally confessed.

He had not expected that answer. "Gods Arya…" He breathed, "I wouldn't have objected if you had."

"Truly?"

"Truly."

"Thank you." She told him, falling back asleep moments later.


	4. Chapter 4

By the time they reached Winterfell, most of the reconstruction efforts were completed. Arya was happy to see her old home again but didn't allow Aegon to be aware of just how happy she was. It wasn't just being at Winterfell that excited her, it was the fact that she knew these walls and lands better than he did and could possibly escape to her own personal hiding places if she wanted to.

Aegon had the servants set up all the furnishings they had brought with them on the same day they arrived. Then he ordered a feast be held. Arya tried to forget the circumstances of why they were there and who she was feasting with. She tried to remember the great hall as it had been when she was a child when a different king had feasted there. It was all for naught. She couldn't forget any of it.

Aegon was especially violent with her that night. He didn't want her to be too happy about the return to Winterfell and thought to punish her in bed for being home again. It was only after the king had left and Jaime bolted the door shut behind him, that Jaime saw Arya's fresh bruises and bloody lip. She came to him with tears brimming in her eyes and hands trembling and helped him remove his armor. As the last piece was cast aside he reached for her and pulled her into a firm embrace on his lap. She lay her head on his chest and let herself cry until her tears were spent. She didn't fall asleep in his arms, and he didn't make any move to let her go.

"Jaime?" Arya spoke in the darkness. "Is the door locked?"

"I always lock it. Why?"

"Will you sleep next to me tonight?"

He didn't answer her, he just stood up and carried her to the bed. Then he climbed in next to her and she closed the space between them. They woke up early in the morning, before the sun had fully risen and found that they were still embraced. Jaime reached over and brushed the hair out of her face with his thumb.

"Let me help you escape, Arya. You shouldn't have to live like this." He said.

"I can't leave. Winterfell is my home. I can't let Aegon have it." Arya told him.

"Do you still want me to kill him?"

"No. I don't know that I ever did want you to. You'd be executed and I can't… I want him dead but it can't be by your hand." Arya said worriedly.

They arrived at breakfast that morning on time. On the way there, they argued loudly solely for Aegon to hear.

"It was much too cold for my liking." Jaime was saying as they entered the great hall.

"The room was just fine. The rooms in the south are far too warm, and you southerners are weak, that's the problem!" Arya shot back at him.

"At least we aren't frigid." Jaime grinned.

"I'm glad to see you two getting along so well." Aegon cut in. "I was thinking it was about time Lannister had a break, don't you think my love?"

Arya wondered what Aegon was planning this time.

"He has served you quite faithfully these past weeks and you haven't given him a single day off." Aegon said accusingly, as if it had been Arya's doing. "Ser Jaime, you're dismissed for the day. Ser Merton will serve in your place today."

Jaime left, concerned what the king might be up to.


	5. Chapter 5

Jaime and Arya did not see each other again until breakfast of the next day. He had spent his time off with the other guards who were off and in the kitchens. Once he was back on duty, Aegon did not allow Arya or Jaime out of his sight for even a moment all day so there was no way of knowing what had happened while he was away. She didn't appear to have any new bruises but that didn't mean she hadn't been hurt. Aegon didn't have any bruises either so she had apparently refrained from attempting to kill him.

It was Aegon's idea to go riding that day. Jaime followed the king and queen with several other guards as they wandered through the woods on horseback for hours.

"Lannister, come ride with me!" Aegon called back to him after a while and he sent Arya on ahead with Ser Merton.

Jaime brought his horse up alongside Aegon. "Yes your grace?"

"How are you finding life in the north? Is it agreeable here?" The king asked, amicably.

"I suppose it's a bit dull and cold but I have no complaints." Jaime said, unsure if Aegon wanted to hear his misery so he could enjoy it or if this was one of the king's more genuine moments.

"Do you suppose the lady Arya is happy here as well?"

"I wouldn't know, your grace." Jaime said.

"But if you were to hazard a guess, would you say she was happy, or unhappy?"

Jaime disliked this line of questioning. "She grew up here in Winterfell but none of her family is here anymore so I would imagine she has mixed feelings."

"Well we can't have that. The queen in the north should be happy. What do you suppose I could do to make the lady Arya happier?" Aegon went on.

No, he definitely disliked this line of questioning. "I don't know your grace. I've never taken a wife. Perhaps one of the married men could offer an answer."

"You _do _know. She's happier with you. Look at her riding with Ser Merton." Aegon said, gazing ahead on the path. "She looks quite miserable does she not?"

"Perhaps…" He tried to give a noncommittal answer.

"Do you think I'm stupid Lannister? I know she enjoys arguing with you. By all rights she should hate you and instead she hates me and refuses to argue with me at all." Aegon said accusingly.

"Your grace I don't think…" Jaime began, the king being jealous of he and Arya was very bad thing for them both.

"I'm not going to punish you for it Lannister!" Aegon said, laughing. "So don't bother trying to deny it. I just want to know how you did it. How did you go from being her enemy to a friend she can have animated arguments with?"

Jaime wanted to tell him that Arya was happier with him because he didn't tie her up or rape her or try to force her to be anyone she didn't want to be. But he couldn't say that, not without risk to both him and Arya. So he said nothing, trying to think of a satisfactory answer.

"Answer the question." Aegon was getting irritated.

"Perhaps it was a matter of proximity. She simply grew used to my being nearby." He said with a shrug.

"Proximity, you say?" Something about Aegon's tone held amusement. "So perhaps I shouldn't leave her bed at night."

"I hardly think proximity matters while the lady is asleep." Jaime said evenly.

"Is that so?" Aegon was still amused about something. "Then why is it that _your _proximity _does _seem to matter while the lady is sleeping?"

"I wasn't aware of that, your grace." Jaime was beginning to grow worried. What had happened last night?

Aegon laughed. "Ah Lannister, you are very good at this game. Unfortunately the lady Arya is not nearly so good at it as you are. She strongly disliked my suggestion of permanently replacing you with Ser Merton. Her words said one thing and her face said another."

"Perhaps she simply likes Merton even less than me."

"Yes, that must be it. I suppose we'll have to remedy that, won't we?" Aegon said with a grin.

"As you say. your grace." Jaime said, warily.

They turned back and returned to the castle soon after that. Aegon seemed to have forgotten about the conversation in the woods but Jaime knew he hadn't forgotten a word of it. He was proven right when it was time to retire for the night.

Jaime took his place on the cot by the door and Aegon joined Arya in the bed. The king assaulted his wife that night with a vigor he'd never had before. Nothing Arya did, seemed to please him. If she was silent, he grew angry and took to slapping and punching her. When she cried out in pain, it failed to make him stop. Finally, Aegon pulled out of her and climbed out of the bed.

"Lannister, come here and assist me!" The king called out.

"Your grace?" Jaime stood up from the cot and turned to the king. Aegon stood naked next to the bed, still erect. Arya lay uncovered and nude in on the bed, eyes focused on the ceiling. Jaime knew that he wasn't going to like this command.

"I want to see her bleed. Strike her."

Jaime stood rooted to the spot he stood in. As much as he wanted to stay out of the dungeon, as much as he wanted to keep his head, beating Arya Stark was not something he could do. "I can not."

"What, did you say?" Aegon sputtered.

"I said, I can not strike her. I am sworn to protect her… I won't."

"If you refuse, I'll have you clapped in irons for a fortnight." Aegon threatened. "There are four guards outside the door. I'll have them drag you away."

Jaime thought it seemed a very small punishment for refusing a king but he said nothing.

"I'll have you whipped! I'll have you flayed! I'll have you sent to Castle Black! I'll have your head on a spike!" Each threat grew louder than the last.

"Don't be stupid Jaime!" Arya cried out from the bed. "Just do what he says!"

All the rage left Aegon's face and he turned to Arya smiling. "You're crying my love… which is exactly what I expected you'd do. You'd rather let him beat you, than see him die?"

A strangled sob escaped Arya's throat. She expected Aegon would never let them live after this. Her dagger was hidden in dresser where she kept it by night and Jaime's sword was on the floor near his bed. Even if they could get it, they'd still have to get past the four guards at the door. This was the end.

"I asked you a question bitch!" Aegon screamed.

"I'd rather just watch you die." She said to Aegon, but her eyes met Jaime's and he nodded.

"How dare you say such things to your king? You insolent little…" But Aegon couldn't say anything more. Jaime sword had plunged through his back and was sticking out through his belly. Then the blade was wrenched free and the king fell to the floor.

"We have to go." Jaime said, tossing Arya her clothes. "We'll have to climb out the window."

"Can you climb with only one hand?" She asked him as she dressed.

"We'll find out."

Moments later they had taken all the could carry out of the window and into the night.


	6. Chapter 6

Arya and Jaime climbed out of the window and made it nearly down to the ground before Jaime lost his grip. He fell the last fifteen feet to the ground but seemed unscathed aside from being bruised. After that they fought over the best route to the stables, then they fought over which horses to take, then which direction to ride in. In the end Arya and Jaime rode east for the coast where they would try to cross the narrow sea. They hoped they would have several hours head start before Aegon's guards realized what had happened and broke down the door. After that the search parties would be sent out for them and word sent to the Capital. They rode steadily through the night and all the next before finally stopping to rest.

"What in seven hells happened with Ser Merton guarding you?" Jaime asked as they sat on the ground at their camp. They had chosen a site far off the road in the thick woods.

"Aegon said some stupid shit about replacing you with Merton. I _did _tell him to go ahead and that I'd be glad for the replacement, but Aegon didn't believe me."

"There had to have been spies somehow. He knew that I slept in your bed. He knew it. The door was locked so there must have been some hole in the wall or in the ceiling for someone to look…"

"There was never anything of that sort when I was a child. But Aegon did have the room reconstructed to be my chambers."

"It's no matter now. Now we just need to stay alive long enough to cross the sea."

"And we need to find moon tea." Arya added. "If it isn't already too late."

"Do you think it might be?"

"I don't know. I had a moon blood on the ship, but Aegon had me several times since then."

"It's a full moon right now." Jaime pointed out almost unwillingly.

"Seven hells! It _is _too late…_._No, I don't care. We'll find some moon tea and I'll drink it anyway." Her voice began to break. "I'll just drink it and ...if that doesn't work I'll cut it out of me...I still have my dagger, I'll cut it out of me and…"

"Arya." He interrupted her gently.

"You'll have to help me..sew me up...but we'll get it out." She was anxiously ranting.

"Arya." he tried again.

"What!" She finally stopped to listen.

"You're bleeding."

She looked down at herself. Her moonblood had come after all. "Gods!" She almost laughed in her relief. Then she grabbed several items from the ground and went behind one of the trees. She came back with clean clothes on and half a smile on her face.

'Are you gonna sleep in your armor?" She asked as she sat down next to him.

"No. We should be far enough ahead of the search party that it's safe to come off."

She helped him take the armor off and saw that his shoulder was badly bruised from the fall. "This looks bad. I can't imagine you'll sleep well."

"It's not so bad. I'm surprised Winterfell hadn't thrown me out a window sooner and given me what I deserve." He said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm a Lannister. I never belonged at Winterfell." He said, but he had really been talking about Bran.

"Neither did Aegon but the castle didn't throw him down any stairs...what is you think you deserve?" She was irritated.

"Can we not talk about this Arya? I am tired and it was an exceedingly bad joke."

"Is this about Bran? He fell from a window…" She trailed off, realising she was nearing the truth of the matter.

"I'm sorry, Arya." He couldn't meet her eyes.

"Why? Why did you do it?" She breathed.

"He caught us, Cersei and I. You heard the rumors about us. They were true."

She removed her hand from where it had been sitting on his shoulder as if she'd been burned. Seeing the hurt in her eyes was worse for him than any of the times Aegon had caused it.

"If you want to travel alone after this…" He began to say.

"Shut up and go to sleep." Arya took her bedding and curled up facing away from him. So he stayed silent and went to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

They awoke in the morning and began packing up their camp, though what little they had taken with them from the castle could hardly be considered a camp. A few changes of clothes, Jaime's sword, Arya's dagger, the blankets from the bed, a flagon of wine, and few coins.

"I'm hungry." Arya finally spoke. "How in seven hells are we supposed to hunt with only a sword and a dagger for weapons?"

"It's not unheard of. And we could always try to snare some rabbits or find some water to fish in." Jaime said even though he was sure Arya had meant it as more of a complaint than an actual question.

"White Knife isn't so far away. We could fish there. But there will be ships on the river. Maybe we should head north to Long Lake."

"And do what? I thought you wanted to go back to Braavos." He said.

"And I thought you said Braavos was a bad idea because that's exactly where they'll expect me to go?"

"So now you agree with me?" He quipped.

"No, I don't. I just changed my mind, that's all. The fact is we're safer here in the north among the mountain clans and houses loyal to the Starks, safer here than anywhere else. Any of them would help hide the daughter of Eddard Stark if I asked it of them."

"Maybe, _you're _safer here but…" He didn't have to explain how the northerners felt about Lannisters.

"I won't let them kill you." She said irritably.

"So now you're _my _sworn shield, are you?"

"Gods no! I'm not your shield! I'm not your queen! I'm not your sparring partner! And I'm not your friend! I'm a Stark and you're a Lannister, we were meant to be enemies!" She shouted at him and turned away to saddle her horse.

"Arya, I said I was sorry." He tried to remind her. "It was years ago. I'm not the same person I was then."

"Shut up…. just… shut…" Her voice broke and realized she was crying. She didn't turn around, instead she climbed onto her horse and rode away without a word.

Jaime quickly readied his own horse and followed after her. She had taken off at a gallop and had gotten a good head start. Still, it wasn't difficult to follow the trail of where she had been. It took hours to catch up to her and he briefly considered just letting her go off on her own for good. She obviously didn't want him around anymore, not now that she knew the truth. But he didn't want to let her go so easily. He couldn't.


	8. Chapter 8

It was well past sundown when Jaime finally found Arya. She was standing in a shallow stream, her was dagger tied to a stick to make a spear. Her boots and stockings lay on the bank along with one dead fish.

"Why do you need two fish?" He asked.

She hadn't heard his approach but her startled flinch was barely perceptible. She stabbed into the water and procured a second fish. She turned and made her way out of the water. "Someone has to make sure you don't starve, Lannister."

He breathed a sigh of relief. She was still angry with him, but she had expected him to follow her. "I could have helped with the fishing if you'd slowed down a little."

She shrugged, kneeling down to begin to take apart her spear and clean the fish. "I wanted to be alone."

"It seemed more like you wanted to be rid of me for good... if that's what you want, just say so. I'll not chase you after you if you run off again."

She glanced up at him, worry in her eyes. "I won't run off again. Don't go."

He nodded and set to work making a fire. Neither of them wanted to eat raw fish. They sat by the fire and ate in near silence that night. After she finished eating Arya stared at the fire for a while that night, seemingly lost in thought. Jaime was tired and lay down to sleep with one of the blankets as cover.

"Arya?"

She turned her head his way.

"You need to sleep."

She took her blanket and tossed it over him, then joined him underneath both covers. "It's warmer this way." She said.

Jaime knew by the way she hugged him that it wasn't about warmth at all. It was about comfort. She was hurting and didn't want to admit she needed comfort, especially not from him. He pulled her closer into a real embrace and felt her silent tears fall on his chest. Eventually she stilled and he thought she might have fallen asleep.

"Jaime?"

"What?"

"Goodnight."

"Good night Arya."

They awoke the next morning a little awkwardly. Arya was sleeping half on top of him, an arm and a leg were draped over his body and his hardness was pressed against her hip. Jaime woke and was about to push Arya gently off of him but she opened her eyes before he could do it. He expected she would either panic or just get up and pretend it hadn't happened. She did neither. Instead she stayed where she was and looked up at him with an expression he couldn't interpret. Maybe it was longing, or confusion, or guilt, or lust. Maybe it was all of those things. She held his gaze for a moment before speaking.

"I've been awake for a little while. I keep thinking about Sansa… she always loved the songs...always wanted a knight to rescue her and carry her away...I _never _wanted that. I never believed I would need rescuing or that I would even care for anyone like that…why did it have to be you?"

Jaime didn't know what to say to that so he did the only thing that made sense to him. He kissed her.


	9. Chapter 9

What began as a kiss soon turned into something far more intimate. Knowing how much Aegon had forced her into, Jaime let Arya take the lead the first time. But she wasn't always the one on top after that and they didn't always wait until they had stopped to camp. They had nearly reached Long Lake several weeks later when Danaery's men found them.

They were just beginning to set up camp for the night when they both heard the horses approach. It sounded like quite a few horses. There wasn't a lot of time to plan what to do next.. The queen's men rounded the corner and were in sight at the bottom of the hill just moments later.

"Get the horse and go Arya." Jaime said.

"Seven hells no!" She said, taking out her dagger, preparing to fight.

"You didn't kill Aegon. I did. We can't fight twenty men with a dagger and a one handed swordsman. I can give you time to escape."

She glanced worriedly at the queen's men. Someone shouted from the bottom of the hill. The smoke from their campfire had been seen. The men were still a long way off. "Come with me." She said, getting on her horse, tears falling from her eyes.

He shook his head. "Maybe you didn't notice but you missed another moonblood. I've killed two kings now. Whatever happens is what I deserve. Go and keep our child alive."

She kicked her horse, spurring the mare on. She was blinded by the tears in her eyes. _I'll go back and help him escape. I won't leave him to be executed. _She heard sounds behind her of horses coming to the top of the hill, she rounded a corner out of sight of the camp. Then she heard the sounds of steel on steel. Still she kept going, wanting to turn back every step of the way but knowing if she turned back now, they would both die.

It was late into the night when Arya finally slowed her horse. She hadn't heard anyone following her. Maybe the queen's men hadn't known she was with Jaime. Arya kept the horse walking through the rest of the night and on into the next day. She reached the village at Long Lake in the late afternoon and had already decided her next move by then. She would go to the Capital by ship and free Jaime before the queen could sentence him to death.


	10. Chapter 10

Tyrion returned to the tower of the hand one evening and poured himself another cup of wine. He'd already had several glasses during the small council meeting and it hadn't helped his mood at all. The room was dimly lit by the dusky light from the window. He didn't bother to light candles. What would be the point if he was just going to fall asleep anyway? A shadow moved in the far corner of the room. He rubbed his eyes. Certainly he hadn't had _that _much to drink. The shadow moved again.

"Who's there?" He said to the darkness.

"I'm not here to hurt you." Arya Stark stepped out of into the light. He noticed right away that she was clearly pregnant. "Just tell me what happened to Jaime?"

He nodded. "Sit."

She took a seat at the table across from him and waited.

Tyrion swallowed. "Jaime was executed four days ago. There was nothing I could do to stop it." He choked out.

"No." Arya said firmly and calmly. "He's not dead. I don't believe you."

"I saw it myself."

"It's not true." She said dazedly.

"The queen took him to the dragon pits and...the fire…" He couldn't go on.

"NO!" She stood, fleeing the table. She only made it a few steps before she collapsed, sobbing on the floor in Tyrion's chambers.

He went to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "I take it the baby is Jaime's not Aegon's?"

She nodded.

"I saw him before he died. He wouldn't tell me or anyone anything about what may have happened to you. He told us you fled in different directions after Aegon's death but the queen's men said there was evidence of two people at his camps… Clearly, he loved you…"

She said nothing to that. She had loved him too and had never told him so.

"The queen does not blame you for your part in Aegon's death. In fact she needs you to rule Winterfell as the north has begun to fall into chaos without a ruler. She hoped to find you and place a Stark in the north. You're free to go home."

Arya just stared at him incredulously. "How can you serve her? She killed your brother?'

"You know better than I what happens when the Hand defies the Queen."

"I'm not going to rule Winterfell and the North for her. She doesn't deserve the north's allegiance. I have a different idea for her fate."

Arya got up and crossed the room. She climbed out a tunnel in the cold fireplace and disappeared.


	11. Chapter 11

The snow had fallen deeply at Winterfell. Too deep to hide her tracks so Arya didn't even try. There was no need to hide anyway. Tyrion had said she was free to go and that Winterfell was as good as hers. But she had taken too long to claim her home and it had been given to another, to the last of her family. Even if Jon Snow was her cousin now, rather than her brother, she didn't begrudge his inheriting Winterfell. He was still half Stark. He was still her family.

The guards let her inside the gates without protest and she was ushered into Jon's solar. He came for her just minutes later but it seemed like hours. Then he was standing there, dressed in Targaryen colors and looking much the same as he always had. They just stood and stared, as if they were frozen in place. Then the moment passed and she rushed towards him and he rushed towards her and they held each other, crying.

There was a noise from the bundle on her back and Arya shifted position to show him her child. "This is Eddard. I suppose he is Eddard Snow but he should have been Eddard Lannister." She told Jon.

"Lannister?" Jon knew nothing of her history with Jaime.

"Yes. Jaime Lannister was my sworn shield while I was married to Aegon and he stayed with me for long after the king died."

Jon took a second look at the babe. "I see a little of both of you in him."

She nodded. "I need you to care for him for a while. There's something I have to go do."

"You're leaving?" He asked sadly. He didn't try to stop her, he knew there was no stopping her if she had already made up her mind.

"I must. But if I survive this, I'll come back. I'll come back to Winterfell for good."

Jon took baby Eddard from her. "We'll find him a good nurse. I'll treat him as my own blood."

She gave the baby a kiss on the forehead, wiped away her tears, and left the solar and the castle.


	12. Chapter 12

The queen's chambers were guarded by four guards at night. Arya decided that easiest way into her chambers was to enter them while the queen was at court. It took Arya a matter of weeks to gain a maid servant position in the castle. When she finally entered the queen's chambers with a pile if clean linens no one tried to stop her.

Dany retired to her room late that night after a long day at court. Her maids helped her bathe and brush her hair. They laid out fruit and wine for her and dressed her in a fine satin sleeping shift. They left her and Dany was almost asleep when Arya rolled out from under the bed and put a sword to the queen's throat.

"One sound and you die." Arya told her.

Dany stared at her boldly hiding her fear.

"Before you die, I want you to know something." Arya told her, "This sword is called Oathkeeper. It belonged to Jaime Lannister when he killed Aegon but before that it was called Ice. This is the Northern justice!"

With that Arya plunged the blade into the queen's throat. Dany gave one sputtering cry as the blood spilled from her throat but then the blade cut too deep for her to speak. She gurgled and gasped a few seconds longer, fear and agony in her eyes. Arya watched until the Targaryen woman breathed her last. It was finally over.

A noise at the door caught her attention. Someone was coming in.

"My queen, I am sorry, I tried to get here sooner but..." Ser Jorah Mormont stopped short, seeing the scene before him. "What have you done?" His cry was strangled.

Arya turned to him, sword still in hand. Ser Jorah drew his own blade. Arya knew there were several guards outside the door but she charged at him anyway. As soon as her steel hit his, the other guards began filling the room. Arya never knew which blade pierced her first but it was Jorah who dealt the fatal blow. Her blood spattered all over the chamber floor. He ignored the dead body of Ned Stark's daughter and went to Dany, holding her, weeping. By all rights, he should have faced Stark justice himself years ago. Surely, there was no justice here.


End file.
